Aretha Franklin says she's ready to get married

The Queen of Soul & Living Legend Aretha Franklin performs to a SRO audience at the Ryman Auditorium on October 19, 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images)

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NEW YORK (AP) - Aretha Franklin is engaged to longtime friend William "Willie" Wilkerson.

The Grammy-winning singer told The Associated Press in a statement Monday that she and Wilkerson are considering a summer wedding, perhaps in Miami Beach, Fla. The Queen of Soul wants to follow the ceremony with a reception on a private yacht.

The 69-year-old jokes: "No, I'm not pregnant."

Franklin and Wilkerson became engaged over the holidays.

She is considering Vera Wang, Valentino and Donna Karan to design her dress.

Franklin has been married twice before.

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Mesfin Fekadu covers entertainment for The Associated Press. Follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/musicmesfin